About

A day at the races often ends with a night at Christine Lee's, the nearly 500-seat fine dining destination atop the classy clubhouse at Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the track. A Sunny Isles favorite for 37 years, the new Christine Lee’s servers its popular Chinese fare, Continental dishes and sushi in a lavish setting, with live music, Chihuly chandeliers and comfy leather seats. You don’t even have to leave the restaurant to place your bet. Open year-round.

A day at the races often ends with a night at Christine Lee's , the fine dining destination atop the classy clubhouse at Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino in Hallandale Beach.

I'm betting we're not the only losers here nursing our wounds over a potent glass or two of sake. But Christine Lee's is looking like a winner, attracting the well-heeled, equestrian elite along with gamblers playing the horses or hitting the casino. Loyal fans from Christine Lee's 37 years in Sunny Isles are also filling the nearly 500 seats in this spacious dining room.

The most dramatic feature is the vista from floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlook the track. At night, a large screen projects sporting events amid a glittering backdrop of city lights.

Gorgeous Chihuly chandeliers and red glass sculptures, comfy leather seats, a grand piano and fresh orchids at each table lend a sense of old-world elegance. Some couples dance while others commiserate at the handsome, TV-lined bar when they're not placing bets at machines that rim the restaurant. Some diehards are here for lunch and dinner, catching all the Gulfstream races and betting on the simulcasts.

At the helm of the restaurant is Mary Lee, who took over the business when her mother, Christine , died in 1996. She brought longtime chef Al Ha and most of her other Sunny Isles employees to Gulfstream.

You'll still find basics like pepper steak and egg foo young, but there's a pricier selection of Asian dishes with steak or lobster plus prime steaks, chops, fish and seafood, complemented by a varied list of about 60 California and international wines, with 10 by the glass. Service is well-paced, attentive.

If you want to enjoy the buzz without dropping a bundle, share a few dishes like Christine 's Tidbits, with shrimp tempura, egg rolls, chicken wings, crab Rangoon and the signature Canadian baby-backs slathered with the chef's slightly sweet, tangy barbecue sauce.

The extensive sushi list includes a fine rainbow roll -- slices of tuna, salmon and white fish wrapped around sticky white rice, seaweed and a core of cream cheese, crab and avocado.

The steak Kew is another top pick, with buttery slices of prime filet, bamboo shoots, black mushrooms, water chestnuts, broccoli, snow peas and bok choy in a hearty garlic-oyster sauce.

Lemon chicken is just that: a lonely plate of lightly breaded white chicken with a perky lemon sauce. An order of fried,brown or white rice is $1 extra, and there's a long list of family-style sides, including our flavorful saut&#65533;ed spinach spiked with garlic.

We had two losers. A roasted Peking duck, while not greasy or fatty, was too dry for our taste, and the scallops in our shrimp-scallops combo were small and chewy.

If you're a meat-and-potatoes fan, there's also a popular Continental menu of steaks, chops, fish and seafood that includes rolls, choice of spud and a side salad. The broiled, double-cut lamb chops, served with chunks of carrots and broccoli, are nicely seasoned -- and huge.

Odds are you'll like the rich banana chocolate mousse cake or a refreshing snowball with vanilla Haagen-Dazs, a dusting of coconut and chocolate sauce, served in a house-made shell.

Christine Lee's will start celebrating Chinese New Year on Monday with a special three-course dinner and a lion dance at 8 p.m. If you're born in the Year of the Ox, it could be your lucky night.